Educational Webinar

Ask the Experts: Performing Effective IT Risk Assessments for Financial Institutions

IT risk assessments remain a cornerstone of a strong information security program, but the way institutions approach them has changed. What was once a periodic, compliance-driven exercise is now expected to be a living process that informs decision-making, prioritizes controls, and keeps pace with evolving threats, technology, and regulatory expectations. In this Ask the Experts session, Cherry Bekaert Advisory’s Audrey Magennis and Kirsten Furlong will share practical context on how IT risk assessments are being performed today across banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions. They will answer your most commonly asked questions about what examiners expect, where institutions struggle, and how to make the process meaningful instead of mechanical.

In this session, you will learn and ask questions about:

How IT risk assessments have evolved from static reports to ongoing risk management tools
Common pitfalls institutions face when scoping, scoring, and documenting risk
How to align risk assessments with GLBA, FFIEC, and examiner expectations
Practical approaches to identifying assets, threats, controls, and residual risk
How to keep risk assessments current without overcomplicating the process

Audrey Magennis, Director
Cherry Bekaert

Audrey has over 25 years of leadership experience in information technology, cybersecurity, and financial services. As Director at Cherry Bekaert, a top 20 accounting, tax, and advisory firm, Audrey specializes in guiding organizations - primarily financial institutions - through complex regulatory environments, designing and enhancing information security and cybersecurity risk management programs, and advising on technical control structures to meet both regulatory compliance and industry best practices.

Kirsten Furlong, Risk and Compliance Services Manager
Cherry Bekaert

With over 20 years of experience, Kirsten works with scores of clients as an executive level advisor, helping them build regulatory compliant Information Security, IT Risk and GLBA Assessments, Vendor Management, Policies and Procedures, Business Continuity, and Cybersecurity Assessment Programs for community financial institutions and hospitals across the country. She also assists clients by performing in-depth IT Audits and Risk Assessments and has ensured that they remain in step with changing IT regulations as well as a changing threat and vulnerability landscape. Passionate about her clients’ experiences and satisfaction, Kirsten is persistent in ensuring that her clients improve their risk management posture, stay informed of what is happening in IT, and remain in compliance with an ever-changing regulatory landscape.

Educational Webinar

Ask the Experts: Performing Effective IT Risk Assessments for Financial Institutions

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Meet the Presenters